Disruption on the Tohoku Shinkansen

Departure board on the JR East Tohoku Shinkansen platform at Tokyo Station

I recently traveled to the Aizu region in Fukushima Prefecture, about 250 km north of Tokyo, with my family. It was basically a family obligation, so I didn't expect to do any train spotting during the trip. I at least looked forward to visiting the historic sites and relaxing in the hot springs. However, things turned out rather differently...

When we arrived at Tokyo Station to board the Tohoku Shinkansen, we immediately noticed something unusual. Many passengers were standing around the concourse, looking puzzled. Was something wrong?

After checking the news online and looking at the departure board, I finally understood the reason. Please take a look at the photo above—the trains were delayed due to an offshore earthquake in northern Japan. By then, it was already 14:16, yet our train, which had been scheduled to leave at 14:00, had not even arrived at Platform 20. Fortunately, there was no damage to the Tohoku Shinkansen, but according to the announcement, services would be delayed by about an hour. Did I panic?

Not at all—railfans are always optimistic! I quickly adjusted my mindset and decided to make the most of the situation. While my family relaxed in the waiting room, I went out to try a type of train photography that I had never attempted before.

Now, let's take a look at the photo below. On the left is JR Central's Series N700A EMU, wearing its familiar white-and-blue livery on the Tokaido Shinkansen. On the right is JR East's Series E6 EMU in its distinctive red-and-gray livery on the Tohoku (Akita) Shinkansen. I photographed it from Platform 23 on the Tohoku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station.

In fact, Platform 23 is one of the very few places where you can photograph both the Tokaido and the Tohoku Shinkansen trains in a single shot. I was lucky enough to witness this fascinating railway scene and thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected photography opportunity. I'm not trying to boast—I simply hope you can understand how exciting this was for a train enthusiast.

In the end, we were able to board our Tohoku Shinkansen train about an hour late and arrived safely at Koriyama Station on the day.

JR Central’s series N700A (left) and JR East’s series E6 (right) EMUs

Final Chapter of Dr. Yellow

Set T-5 of the 923 series EMU, Dr. Yellow, arriving at Tokyo Station

Do you remember when I first introduced the Dr. Yellow train running on the Tokaido–Sanyo Shinkansen back in 2017? Well, I finally had the chance to photograph it again—so today, I’d love to share that moment with you.

But first—what exactly is Dr. Yellow?

Dr. Yellow is a high-speed inspection train whose official designation is the 923 series EMU. It entered service in 2000, replacing its predecessor, the 922 series. Only two sets were ever built—14 cars in total—manufactured by Hitachi and Nippon Sharyo. One set (T-4) belonged to JR Central, and the other (T-5) is owned by JR West.

Its job? To inspect tracks, signals, telecommunications, and power systems—all while speeding down the Shinkansen lines. Its body is based on the 700 series design, and the bright yellow color helps distinguish it from passenger trains.

So… what’s the latest on Dr. Yellow?

Recently, I learned that JR Central’s T-4 set has already been retired. That means only one Dr. Yellow remains in operation today: the T-5 set.

Take a look at the photo above—that’s the last surviving Dr. Yellow, arriving at Tokyo Station. When I was there, more than twenty rail fans had already gathered, cameras poised and ready. And it wasn’t just the usual adult male rail enthusiasts—there were women, kids, and even international fans. Dr. Yellow really brings people together.

Even though JR Central and JR West never publish Dr. Yellow’s schedule, sightings spread instantly on social media, drawing crowds to stations like a modern-day treasure hunt.

So, what’s next for Dr. Yellow?

According to JR West, the remaining T-5 set will be retired in 2027 or later. After that, inspection duties will be carried out by standard Shinkansen—specifically the N700S series—equipped with advanced measuring devices, image-processing systems, and AI technologies.

Technology moves quickly. It’s impressive… and a little bittersweet.

Dr. Yellow’s final chapter has already begun.

Dr. Yellow (left) and the N700A series EMU (right) at Tokyo Station

Related link:

・Official information: JR West’s railway maintenance vehicles (in Japanese)

”Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen” Train

Set G25 of JR Central N700A series EMU, “Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen”

Do you remember when I introduced you to JR East’s “Magical Journey Shinkansen” train last year? Following JR East, JR Central also launched a special poster train “Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen” this year.

To start, let me explain how things came about. On June 6th last year, Tokyo Disney Resort held its grand opening of Fantasy Springs. To promote tourism to this new theme park, JR East started to operate a new poster train named "Magical Journey Shinkansen" jointly with Tokyo Disney Resort. 8 months later, JR Central also launched a new poster train under the name of "Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen" on the Tokaido Shinkansen for the same purpose. You can see characters of Fantasy Springs on the side bodies of Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen. They are Peter Pan, Elsa and Anna of Frozen and so on. The impressive thing was that many inbound tourists were taking pictures of this poster train at Tokyo station. JR Central releases the timetable of Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen on their website (in Japanese only).

Incidentally, Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen is Set G25 of the EMU JR Central N700A series. The 700A series was commissioned in 2016 as an improved version of the N700 series. The main difference between the N700 and the N700A series is their brake performance. New disc brakes were adopted by the N700A series. As you may know, the braking system on a bullet train is quite important in Japan, since we have to stop the train steadily without derailment as soon as an earthquake hits a railway.

Side view of the “Wonderful Dreams Shinkansen”

Official information by JR Central (English):

https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/news/_pdf/2025/0003.pdf

Official website by JR Central (Japanese):

https://recommend.jr-central.co.jp/wdshinkansen/

EMU 315-3000 Series: New Model in the Shizuoka Area

Trainset U12 of the EMU JR Central 315-3000 series at Atami station

As I posted before, Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture is well known as a marine resort city. Visitors can enjoy hot springs, seafood dishes, and fireworks festivals. But there’s more—rail fans can observe many kinds of trains at Atami Station. These include Shinkansen, JR East limited express trains, JR East and JR Central commuter trains, Izukyu trains, and JR Freight trains. Oh, wait a second—I almost forgot one more: the overnight sleeper train “Sunrise Express”. Watching these trains is one of the perks of being a rail fan.

When I visited Atami Station the other day, I found an unfamiliar train standing at the platform. What was that train? The answer is JR Central’s new model, the EMU 315-3000 series. The 315 series was originally introduced as an 8-car train in the Nagoya area in 2022. In 2024, a new 4-car version, named the 315-3000 series, was also introduced in the Shizuoka area. Currently, a total of 12 sets (48 cars) are operated on the Tokaido Main Line in the Shizuoka area. The 315-3000 series has laser-welded stainless-steel bodies with a beautiful finish that shone under the spring sun. Thanks to the high ceilings, the interior feels spacious and open. A wheelchair-accessible restroom is also provided.

As for technical specifications, the train adopts a hybrid SiC-IGBT VVVF inverter (variable-frequency drive) traction control system, achieving a 35 percent reduction in electric power consumption compared with the 211 series.

Incidentally, the old EMU 211 series was retired from the Shizuoka area in February this year. Thank you, 211 series, for your years of hard work.

EMU JR East E257-2000 series (left), EMU JR Central 315-3000 series (right)

Official information about the EMU 315 series by JR Central (in Japanese):

https://railway.jr-central.co.jp/315s/

2025 Sakura Season on the Gotemba Line

Limited express "Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji)" running on the Odakyu line

The sakura (cherry blossom) season has already passed in Tokyo, but the front line of blossoms is still moving northward across Japan. A person traveling with this “sakura front” could enjoy the flowers for more than two months. The front also climbs into the mountains. I recently visited the foothills of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture.

I got off at Suruga-Oyama Station on JR Central’s Gotemba Line. My destination was Fuji Reien (Fuji Cemetery), where my grandmother’s grave is located. As I approached the cemetery, I was greeted by fully bloomed sakura trees on the mountain slopes. Their light pink blossoms created a vivid contrast with the blue sky and snow-capped Mt. Fuji.

Taking this opportunity, I’d like to give an update on the limited express train Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji) that runs on the Gotemba Line. The Fuji-san departs from Shinjuku Terminal on the Odakyu Line and continues directly onto JR Central’s Gotemba Line. The train used for this service is the EMU Odakyu 60000 series, MSE (Multi Super Express). The MSE normally consists of ten cars, but the formation can be divided into six- and four-car sets for greater operational flexibility. For the Fuji-san service, a six-car trainset is used.

I found a special “Mocoron” sticker on the front of the MSE. Mocoron is Odakyu’s mascot character. The sticker is part of Odakyu’s initiative to support child-rearing. For this purpose, the MSE includes a special lavatory equipped with a baby bed.

Fully bloomed sakura trees and snow-capped Mt. Fuji

Short Trip to Shimane Prefecture by Sunrise Express

EMU 285 series, Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto, standing at Tokyo Station

I recently took the Sunrise Express for the first time in my life and visited Shimane Prefecture. Today, I’d like to share some photos of this train with you.

Let me start by briefly reviewing Shimane Prefecture and the Sunrise Express. Shimane is located in the western part of Japan, facing the Sea of Japan. Its population is about 0.7 million, making it the second least populous prefecture in the country. To travel from Tokyo to Shimane, one of the most convenient means of transportation is the Sunrise Express. It is an overnight sleeper train with comfortable berths. Connecting Tokyo and Izumo-shi, the train travels across three JR companies: JR East, JR Central, and JR West.

The 14-car EMU 285 series operates as both Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto from Tokyo to Okayama. After arriving at Okayama station, the train is split in two. The Sunrise Izumo (a 7-car set) continues to Izumoshi in Shimane Prefecture, while the other 7-car set heads to Takamatsu as the Sunrise Seto.

The EMU 285 series is owned by JR West and JR Central. A total of five sets—35 cars—were built in 1998 by Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. I think that sleeper EMUs like this are quite unique. I used a B-class (standard-class) single room. Its window was very large, allowing me to fully enjoy the night view of downtown Tokyo before I eventually drifted off to sleep.

To be continued…

Interior of the single room in the B-class (standard-class) sleeping car

Related link:

・Official information about Sunrise Express by JR West (in Japanese)

Tokyu "Shinkansen" Trains

Set 4105 of the EMU Tokyu 5050 series, Shinkansen-colored train

Railway companies sometimes use the other companies' color designs for their own trains. The purposes of that are joint campaigns to promote tourism to their lines, or simply to deepen the friendship of two companies. For example, Seibu Railway uses their sister companies' color designs for their Tamagawa line trains. Furthermore, Seibu once used Keikyu's color design for their own train as a token of friendship. That was the "Lucky Red Train" in 2014. As you know, Seibu and Keikyu are good competitors in the metropolitan area. On the other hand, Keikyu used Taiwan Railway Administration's color design for their own train in 2016 in accordance with a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement.

Let's get down to the main topic. Tokyu Railway recently launched Shinkansen-colored trains on their Meguro and Toyoko lines one after another. They are Set 3123 of the EMU 3020 series on the Meguro line and Set 4105 of the EMU 5050 series on the Toyoko line. As I posted before, Tokyu inaugurated a new line, named the Shinyokohama line, in March, 2023. Transfer from the Tokyu lines to the Tokaido Shinkansen has become much easier using Shinyokohama station on the Tokyu-Shinyokohama line. The purposes of these Shinkansen-colored trains are the first anniversary and the promotion of the Tokyu-Shinyokohama line. For your information, some of the trains on the Tokyu-Meguro and Toyoko lines are directly operated onto the Shinyokohama line.

Tokyu "Shinkansen" Trains were realized by cooperation of JR Central, which is the operator of the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Set 3123 of the EMU Tokyu 3020 series, Shinkansen-colored train

Official information about the Shinkansen-colored train, Set 3123 (in Japanese):

https://www.tokyu.co.jp/image/information/pdf/20240227-1.pdf

Official information about the Shinkansen-colored train, Set 4105 (in Japanese):

https://www.tokyu.co.jp/image/information/pdf/lapping_train_3_d.pdf

Winter Scenery on the Gotemba Line

Set V9 of the EMU JR Central 313-3000 series travels on the Gotemba line

It's still cold in Tokyo, but the sunlight is getting stronger. I can't keep fidgeting at home. My next destination was the JR Central Gotemba line.

Let me review the Gotemba line. It's a local route straddling Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures. Connecting Kozu and Numazu, its route length is 60.2 kilometers. Both Kozu and Numazu are transfer stations for the Tokaido Main line. In other words, Gotemba line is a bypass route of the Tokaido Main line. The thing is, the Gotemba line was opened in 1889 as a part of the Tokaido Main line, but in 1934, the short cut route was opened. The former Tokaido Main line was remained for the local people after that under the new name of Gotemba line.

I got off at Matsuda station, and enjoyed walking along the foot of Shibusawa Hill. After reaching the bank of Kawaoto River, I enjoyed looking the pellucid stream, wooded hills, blue sky and railway bridge. They were diffidently beautiful, but it's lacking something. Ten minutes later, a train was approaching me. This is the one! It was JR Central's local train, EMU 313-3000 series. Five more minutes later, the other train crossed the river. It was the EMU 313-2600 series. If I remember correctly, the former has cross-seats. On the other hands, the latter has only long- seats. You may ask "So what?" Please don't say things like that.

I enjoyed the winter scenery and trains on the Gotemba line to my heart's content.

Set N2 of the EMU JR Central 313-2600 series travels on the Gotemba line

Shinkansen Train Slipping through the Concrete Jungle

Set X55 of the EMU JR Central N700A series comes out from Yatsuyama tunnel

Happy New Year! The year 2024 has begun. At the opening of the New Year, I'm going to show you pictures of the Tokaido Shinkansen tracks and trains.

"Shinkansen" is the bullet train that represents Japanese railways. The first Shinkansen, namely Tokaido Shinkansen, was inaugurated between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka in 1964, just before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. Since then, the Shinkansen route has been extended step by step. Its total network length is currently 3,000 kilometers. There are one million passengers per day.

What do we need to speed up trains? Needless to say, to improve the vehicles' performance is essential. Shinkansen trains have realized it. More importantly, the track should be as straight as possible; however, it's not easy specifically in urban areas. The top photo shows a Shinkansen train, EMU JR Central N700A series, coming out from Yatsuyama tunnel near Shinagawa station. This tunnel was constructed under two highways and the Keikyu line. The exit of the tunnel is located in the first residential area just south of the downtown. The straight track was just barely secured. On the other hand, the photo below is an S-shaped curved track between Tokyo and Shinagawa stations. You can see a Shinkansen train slipping through the concrete jungle. One set of the Tokaido Shinkansen train is 404.7 meters-long, which is the longest passenger train in Japan. Because of its track geometry, the maximum speed of the Shinkansen train is limited to only 100 kilometers per hour in this area.

EMU JR Central N700A series slips through the concrete jungle 

Revisit to the Resort City, Atami

EMU JR Central N700"S" series arrives at Atami station

Hot mid-summer continues in the metropolitan area. I evacuated from Tokyo, and stayed in a resort city for a while. My destination was Atami in Shizuoka Prefecture.

To start, let me quickly review Atami City. It's located about 100 kilometers southwest of downtown Tokyo. The name of the city, "Atami", means "hot sea". Obviously, it represents that hot springs and the ocean are seen in the city. From Shinagawa, one of the city centers in Tokyo, Atami is close, only 29 minutes away by the fastest Shinkansen train.

First thing's first. After arriving at Atami station, I enjoyed shooting the Shinkansen trains at the end of the platform. I made my family wait, but it couldn't be helped as I'm a rail-fan. East bound Shinkansen trains arrived one after another. The top photo is the latest model, the EMU N700S series debuted in 2020. A total of 680 cars have been introduced by JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu companies. The N700S series has a full active vibration control device operated by a pump to prevent rolling. The maximum operating speed is 285 kilometers per hour due to the timetable restriction, but it recorded 362 kilometers per hour in a test run. The outer design of the N700S series is similar to that of the N700A series, but there are several minor changes. For example, the shape of the nose became sharper. The number of the blue colored side stripes was increased from two to three.

To be continued...

EMU JR Central N700"A" series arrives at Atami station

Official information about the EMU N700S series by JR Central (in Japanese):

https://railway.jr-central.co.jp/train/shinkansen/n700s/index.html

Official information about the EMU N700S series by Nippon Sharyo (in Japanese):

https://www.n-sharyo.co.jp/business/tetsudo/pages/jrcn700s.htm

Official information about JR Central's Shinkansen:

https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/onlinebooking/

Official information about Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansens:

https://smart-ex.jp/en/lp/app/

Relocation of Trains: EMU JR Central 313-8000 Series

EMU JR Central 313-8000 series stands at Atami station on the Tokaido main line

On the way to Kawazu Bagatelle Park in Shizuoka Prefecture last month, I came across a strange train at Atami station on the Tokaido main line. That was a stainless-steel train with orange-colored stripes. Orange is the corporate color of JR Central, so, it must belong to JR Central, but different from my familiar EMU 313-0 series. Please look at the top photo. Do you know what it is?

The answer is the EMU 313-8000 series. This train was once operated on the Chuo main line in the Nagoya area. But in March 2022, it was transferred to the Tokaido main line in the Shizuoka area. Why? The gimmick is as follows: JR Central launched a new commuter train, the EMU 315 series, on the Chuo main line in March 2022. The introduction of the new model caused JR Central to make a train relocation. A total of 6 sets of the 313-8000 series were transferred from the Chuo main line to the Tokaido main line. What's the merit of this relocation? The answer is a toilet. Although the trains on the Tokaido main line are operated over long distances, one of the existing models, the EMU 211 series, doesn't have a toilet. So, the 211 series is coupled with the 313-8000 series with a toilet, and operated as one train set. That's a good idea.

For your information, the 313-8000 series has cozy cross seats. Passengers can use this luxury train without any extra charge. It's specifically attractive for long distance travelers.

Coupling of the EMU 313-8000 (left) and the 211 series (right)

2023 Cherry Blossom Season in Oyama Town

EMU Odakyu 60000 series, limited express "Fuji-san"

It's late May already. The cherry blossom season this year ended a long time ago, but I would like to introduce you to some more cherry blossom scenes in 2023.

I visited my grandmother's grave last month, and offered flowers for the first time in two years. She lived a long and healthy life, and passed away several years ago at the age of 103. Her grave is located in Fuji Reien (Fuji Cemetery), in Oyama Town, Shizuoka Prefecture. It's at the southern foot of Mt. Fuji, and known as a vast cemetery surrounded by beautiful forests. The main street of the cemetery is very wide and famous for its cherry trees. They were in full bloom when I visited there. A flurry of cherry blossoms blowing in the wind was really romantic. It was a shower of cherry blossoms.

To visit Fuji Reien, the nearest railway station is Suruga-Oyama on the JR Central Gotemba line. For passengers from downtown Tokyo to Suruga-Oyama, a direct train, "Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji)", is convenient. Fuji-san train starts from Shinjuku terminal on the Odakyu line, and is directly operated onto the JR Central Gotemba line to Gotemba terminal. My vehicle was the EMU Odakyu 60000 series, "MSE (Multi Super Express)". MSE was launched in 2008 as a multi-purpose limited express train. I found a special sticker on the front of the train celebrating the 15th anniversary of MSE. Congratulations on the 15th anniversary! I wish MSE will be active on the track for a long time.

The main street of Fuji Reien (Fuji Cemetery)

The 12th Anniversary of Tokyo Railway Labyrinth

Electric car unit KuMoHa 12041 of the Class KuMoHa 12

Tokyo Railway Labyrinth had its twelfth anniversary. Time moved quickly. I thank all my blog readers for visiting this website over the last twelve years. According to the oriental zodiac, one cycle is completed every twelfth year, so, today is the start of the new cycle of my blog.

In commemoration of the twelfth anniversary, I'm going to show you a train with number "12" in the name. The Class KuMoHa 12 is an electric car commissioned in 1953 by the Japanese National Railways. The definition of the Class KuMoHa 12 effective since 1953 was a 17-meter-long, 6 doors and double-cab motorcar. The Class KuMoHa 12 was originally developed by the Japanese Government Railways in the 1920s and 1930s under the names of the Class MoHa 30, 31, 34 and others. 33 units in total were operated on the track, but most of them had already been scrapped. Only two units are currently preserved.

Unit KuMoHa 12041 is one of the above preserved cars exhibited in "SCMAGLEV and Railway Park" in Nagoya City. It was originally built in 1927 as a single-cab motorcar of the Class MoHa 30. After being remodeled several times, it was converted to a double-cab car unit KuMoHa 12041 in 1987. It was retired from the JR Central Iida line in 2002, and has been exhibited at SCMAGLEV and Railway Park since 2011. Its gable-shaped face was caused because the cab was added later. I like very much this electric car with a rustic steel body.

Side view of unit KuMoHa 12041

Official website, SCMAGLEV and Railway Park:

https://museum.jr-central.co.jp/en/

The 30th Anniversary of Nozomi Super-express

A handmade memorial board of the 30th anniversary, Nozomi super-express

On March 14th, 2022, JR Central celebrated the 30th anniversary of Nozomi super-express operations. The company held several memorial events on the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Let me quickly review Nozomi super-express train. Nozomi (wish or hope) is the fastest train on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansens. The operation of Nozomi started in 1992 to compete with airline companies. For that purpose, JR central developed a new model, EMU 300 series. The maximum speed was raised up from 220 to 270 kilometers per hour. The trains used for Nozomi super-express were then changed to the EMU 500, 700, N700 and N700A series one after another. Furthermore, a brand-new model, N700S series, joined the Nozomi fleet in 2020. The current maximum speed is 285 kilometers per hour on the Tokaido Shinkansen; meanwhile, it's 300 kilometers per hour on the Sanyo Shinkansen.

I recently found a handmade memorial board at the entrance of Tokyo station. It was probably drawn by a JR Central station staff on a white board. You can see the current Nozomi super-express train namely N700S series in the center and the first generation Nozomi namely 300 series in the upper left corner. A JR Central staff in the uniform is also drawn in the lower left corner. Good job.

Taking this opportunity, I'm also uploading an old picture shot in 2012. You can see the EMU 300 and 700 series standing at Tokyo station. Both two models have already been retired from the Tokaido Shinkansen. Where has the time gone?

EMU 300 (left) and 700 (right) series stand at Tokyo station (January, 2012)

Vast Cemetery on the Gotemba Line

EMU Odakyu 60000 series (MSE) travels on the Odakyu line

I recently visited my Grandma's grave with my family, and offered flowers. My Grandma passed away several years ago at the age of 103. She lived a long healthy life.

Her grave is situated in Fuji Reien (Fuji Cemetery), Shizuoka Prefecture. It's at the southern foot of Mt. Fuji. Fuji Reien is known as a vast cemetery. About seventy thousand divisions in total are located on the gentle slopes. They are surrounded by beautiful forests. The main street of the cemetery is very wide and famous for its cherry trees. This year's cherry blooming season was over, but we could see large cherry trees with young green leaves along the street. Pink colored azaleas have just started blooming at the center of the street.

To visit Fuji Reien, the nearest railway station is Gotemba on the JR Central Gotemba line. For passengers from downtown Tokyo to Gotemba, a direct train, "Fuji-san (Mt. Fuji)", is convenient. Fuji-san train starts from Shinjuku terminal on the Odakyu line, and is directly operated onto the JR Central Gotemba line to Gotemba terminal. The recently commissioned model for Fuji-san train is the EMU Odakyu 60000 series, MSE (Multi Super Express). MSE was launched in 2008 as a multi-purpose Romance Car. The train body is a metallic blue color with red and white colored stripes. It's composed of ten cars, but one set can be broken up into six and four car sections to enhance operational flexibility. For Fuji-san train, 6-car trains are used.

Main street of Fuji Cemetery

Short Stay in Kyoto City: New Shinkansen Train

EMU JR Central N700S series stands at Tokyo station

I recently visited Kyoto City for the first time in three years. Although it was a short stay with my family, I could take several railway lines in the city. What was new with the trains in this historical city?

Firstly, I could get on the new train on the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto station. It was the EMU JR Central N700S series. As I posted before, JR Central launched this new model on July 1st this year to replace the old model, namely the 700 series. The introduction of the new Tokaido Shinkansen train was for the first time in 13 years.

One of the new passenger services in the N700S series is the electrical outlets. Even in the standard car, every seat has an electrical outlet to charge a passenger's mobile phone. It's quite convenient. In terms of riding comfort, the N700S series has new comfortable reclining seats both in Standard Class cars and Green (the first class) Cars. If you put your seat back, your seating face also automatically tilts. In addition, the N700S series has a full active vibration control device operated by a pump to prevent rolling. It's not conspicuous, but a good passenger service, isn't it?

Incidentally, I found a new logo of the N700S series on the side bodies. It's "Supreme". As you may know, S of the N700S series stands for Supreme. In other words, JR Central launched the N700S series as the supreme Shinkansen train.

To be continued...

Logo of the EMU JR Central N700S (Supreme) series

Shonan-daira: Scenic Place on the Tokaido Main Line

EMU E233-3000 series travels on the Tokaido main line

Shonan-daira is a scenic place in Hiratsuka City, about 60 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. It's just a low hill at an elevation of 181 meters above sea level, but visitors can enjoy gorgeous views of the vast Kanto Plain and Sagami Bay from the summit. It's popular among young couples to enjoy the night view, while older people admire the cherry blossoms in spring.

I visited Shonan-daira in April, but my purpose of visit was neither the night view nor the cherry blossoms. I wanted to take photos of JR Central's Tokaido Shinkansen trains. The straight line track of the Tokaido Shinkansen is located about 1.5 kilometers north of Shonan-daira, so I expected to shoot the side view of a long Shinkansen train traveling at its top speed. I climbed up the hill on foot being soaked in sweat. Just after arriving at the summit, the Shinkansen train appeared. I could realize the 400-meters long train traveling at 285 kilometers per hour.

On the way back home, I also enjoyed taking photos of the Tokaido main line trains. The main fleet on the route is the EMU E233-3000 series launched in 2008. Currently, the E233-3000 series is widely operated in the Tokyo metropolitan area. My favorite is double-decker Green Cars (the first class cars) in the central part of the train. Once you pay an extra fee, a comfortable reclining seat is provided for you. I recommend it for long distance journeys over 100 kilometers. It costs 800 yen on holidays.

View from Shonan-daira: JR Central N700A series travels on the Tokaido Shinkansen

N700S: New Model on the Tokaido Shinkansen

EMU JR Central N700S series stands at Tokyo station on the Tokaido Shinkansen

On July 1st, 2020, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) launched a new model, the EMU N700S (N700 Supreme) series, on their Tokaido Shinkansen. The introduction of the new Tokaido Shinkansen train was for the first time in 13 years.

The outer design of the N700S series is similar to that of the N700 and the N700A series, but there are several minor changes. For example, the frontal lamps were changed to LEDs. The shape of the nose became sharper. The number of the blue colored side stripes was increased from two to three. Regarding the interior, each seat of the N700S series has an electrical outlet. The reclining seats increased sitting comfort of passengers.

In terms of technical specifications, the N700S series has a full active vibration control device operated by a pump to prevent rolling. The maximum operating speed is 285 kilometers per hour due to the timetable restriction, but it recorded 362 kilometers per hour in a test run. JR Central plans to introduce a total of 40 sets (640 units) of the N700S series by the end of fiscal year 2022. It will be built by Hitachi Kasado Factory.

Incidentally, I found a fine drawing at the entrance of Tokyo station. It was drawn by a JR Central station staff on a white board. You can see the N700S series, JR East E235 series, JR East E257-2000 series and so on. They are very realistic. The explanation of the N700S series is easy to understand. Good job.

The explanation of the EMU N700S series drawn by a JR Central Tokyo station staff

Official information about the EMU JR Central 700S series (in Japanese):

https://recommend.jr-central.co.jp/n700s/

2020 Sakura Season in Tokyo

Night view of Tokyo station

On March 15th, the Meteorological Agency of Japan declared that sakura (cherry) blossoms had started blooming in Tokyo. It was the earliest record in history. The agency then reported that they fully blossomed on March 22nd.

As I post year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards sakura blossoms. We are also reminded of the emptiness of life seeing the beautiful blossoms dropping only a week after they fully blossom. Sakura viewing is a part of Japanese culture. Famous sakura spots are crowded with admirers. They spread mats on the ground under the blossoms, and have parties with their family, friends and colleagues.

Wait a minute please. This year, the situation was totally different from previous years. We were prohibited to hold parties under the sakura trees in the public places due to new coronavirus infection risks. I had no choice but to take only several sakura photographs on the way back home from my office. I saw very few people walking and watching sakura blossoms around the Imperial Palace. There was a little traffic on the streets in the evening.

Incidentally, I shot a night view of Tokyo station from my office before shooting fully bloomed sakura trees. It was a good warming up for my sakura shooting. The station scenery was very beautiful against the evening sky same as before, but it was different since the invisible new coronavirus was active out of sight of ordinary people.

I hope things will blow over soon.

Sakura (cherry) blossoms in full bloom near Tokyo station

Good-bye to the "Platypus Train"

EMU JR Central 700 series stands at Shizuoka station (July, 2016)

On December 11th, 2019, JR Central made a press release announcing that their train, the EMU 700 series, will be retired from Tokaido Shinkansen soon. The last run will be conducted on March 8th, 2020.

The EMU 700 series, which was developed by JR Central and JR West, debuted in 1997 as an advanced prototype model. Mass produced cars were then launched in 1999. A total of 91 sets, 1,328 units, were built between 1999 and 2006 by Nippon Sharyo, Hitachi, and Kinki Sharyo. The maximum speed is 285 kilometers per hour. It is slower than that of the previous model, namely the JR West 500 series; however, the production and the maintenance cost of the 700 series is lower than that of the 500 series. The 700 series was called "Platypus Train" by rail fans, as its face looks like the unique Australian animal. Needless to say, its unique shape was designed to reduce air resistance during the high speed operation. The brother of the 700 series is operated in Taiwan as Taiwan High Speed Rail's 700T series, and it has a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour.

After March 8th, the 700 series will disappear from the Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo - Shin-Osaka) line, but it will continue to be operated on the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka- Hakata) line in the western part of Japan. I am going to choose the 700 series if I travel on the Sanyo Shinkansen line. Sayonara (good-bye) and arigatou (thank you) Platypus Train, the EMU 700 series, on the Tokaido Shinkansen line.

Set C14 of the EMU JR Central 700 series arrives at Atami station (September, 2016)